Vulcanising press



y 1957 c. CANAT 2,798,254

I VULCANISING PRESS Filed March 1, 1955 I 5 'Shets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR fine/577 (Zn/47,-

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20 I I f r w I July 1957 c. CANAT 2,798,254

VULCANISING PRESS Filed March 1, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR- fl Eg} 0/ /5274 (2M4:

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y 9, 1957- c. CANAT 2,798,254

VULCANISING PRESS Filed March 1, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 smm - IN QENT'orz,

ATTQRNEYS.

y 1957 c. CANAT 2,798,254

VULCANISING PRESS Filed March 1, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 |NVENTOR [elf/5 rm/v 6 TORNE'YS.

United States a 2,798,254 Patented July 9, 1957 VULCANISING PRESS Christian Canat, Chalabre, France Application March 1 1955, Serial No. 491,364 Claims priority, application France October 25, 1954 r 2 Claims. (Cl. 18--17) The present invention relates to a hydraulic press for the vulcanisation of footwear on shapes. Presses are already known in which a shape carrying the leg of the boot co-operates with a mould consisting of three moving parts which are separated from each other or are brought together simultaneously during the opening or the closing of the mould.

In this type of machine, the lower part of the mould is located in its final position as soon as the mould is closed and it is necessary to use a pre-formed sole, and this necessitates a first operation which increases the cost of the total treatment.

In addition, the shape rises vertically above the mould, but remains in a position which does not assist in any way the taking-out and the re-insertion of the shape, which necessitates the dismantling of the shape in order to carry out these operations. Certain machines enable the shape to be rotated, but this operation has to be carried out manually.

Finally, the movements of the four members, even when they are efiected by means of hydraulic jacks, are controlled wholly by manual means.

The invention has for itsobject toprovide a hydraulic press which incorporates very definite improvements with respect to presses already existing.

This press comprises essentially a mould made up of three members: two lateral members corresponding to the peripheral part of the sole of the boot and carried by jaws which slide on the table of the press, a lower or bottom member corresponding to the sole of theboot itself and movedvertically with respect to the table, the'said mould co-operating with a shape which carries the leg of the boot with which the sole is to be vulcanised after the four members referred to above have been brought together, the shape being moved vertically in the opposite direction to the lower member above-mentioned, these four members being eachmoved-by a double-acting hydraulic jack and the hydraulic circuits of the four jacks which correspond to them being controlled by means of a block valve with a single control. The upper jack which moves the shape is rotatably mounted about a-horizontal axis and automatically causes rotation of the shape in order to bring it into a position which facilitates the taking out and the re-in'sertion of the shape when, the vulcanisation of a boot being completed, the moving plate of the said jack, which is provided with two racks, arrives at a certain level above the table of the press and when the said racks engage with twofixed pinions mounted -on the arms which carry the jack. The arrangement of the mould enables the raw material to be 'directlyemployed in its granular form which avoids the usual 'pre-forming of the sole and results in an appreciable economy.

The dividing-up of the closure of the mould into two stages enables the two lateral parts to be closed first in practice, whilst the sole-carrying base of the mould is held below the level which itmust finally occupy during the vulcanisation process; In its lowermost position, the

bottom creates in the mould a space, the volume of which is greater than the volume of the raw material with which it is to be filled, this remaining always at a level below that of the lips of the mould. I

The rotatable mounting of the upper jack which carries the shape enables the latter to pivot automatically when it reaches a certain level above the mould in its upward travel, the shape then taking up at the'end of the operation a position which considerably facilitates the taking-out and the re-insertion of the shape without having to "remove the shape from its support. In addition to the saving of time which is effected, this arrangement also avoids the errors of adjustment which may constantly arise during the dismantling and re-assembly of the shape. This maintenance of precision in the position of the shape with respect to the mould contributes to an improvement in the quality of the work.

This precision is also obtained by means of excellent guiding control of the plate which carries the shape and which is moved by the upper jack.

The jacks may be actuated partly by hand but also automatically under the control, on the one hand, of th'e'pressure created in the hydraulic circuit and, on the other hand, of a time-control arrangement.

Thus, the upward movement of the sole-carrier bottom of the mould is obtained automatically by the effect of the difierence of pressure produced in the hydraulic circuit when the shape has been brought into position between the closed lateral parts, and above the granular moulding material. On the other hand, the separation of the lateral parts, the upward movement of the shape and the downward movement of the bottom of the mould are obtained automatically by the simple action of the pres sure obtained in the hydraulic return circuit after the time-control itself has automatically caused these successiv'e operations to start.

The said control block valve comprises two slide valves moving inside a cylinder and coupled to a single rod actuated by a control button which enables the said slidevalves to be given diflerent positions with respect to conduits leading into the said cylinder and comprising, on the one hand, a central conduit connected to a supply pipe containing fluid under pressure and two end conduits connected to the return piping system of the fluid, and on the other hand, a conduit connected to the front chambers engaging with a toothed rack.

The control knob and the valve-carrier rod may take up four positions and may be mechanically interlocked in the two intermediate positions, whilst in one of the extreme positions corresponding to the complete closure of the mould, they are locked by means of an electro magnet energised from a circuit controlled by a timing mechanism which is set in operation by a switch operated by the rack when the knob is moved to the said extreme position.

The rack and the valve-carrier rod are continuously urged upwards by a spring acting in opposition to the electro-magnet and causing the rack and the valve-carrier rod to move upward when the electro-magnet is no longer energised, the position thus given to the valves enabling automatic selection to be made of theoperations of opensation process.

locked in their adjusted positions.

ing of the mould by the action of the flap-valves as a function of the pressure of the fluid in the return circuit.

The timing device holds the rack and the valve-carrier rod locked in position through the medium of the electromagnet during the entire period of heating for vulcanisation.

The press constructed in conformity with the invention is described in detail in the course of the description which follows and with reference to the attached drawings in which: 7

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view in elevation of the said press in the completely closed position during the vulcani- Fig. 2 is an identical view with partial cross-sections. Fig. 3 is a detail view in cross-section, and to a larger scale, of the upper part of the press.

Fig. 4 shows diagrammatically in cross-section the method of mounting of the upper jack.

Fig. 5 shows diagrammatically the respective position of the members which cause rotation of the upper jack when the said jack has arrived at the bottom end of its travel.

Fig. 6 is an identical view, the upper jack being here at the end of its upward travel.

Fig. 7 shows diagrammatically in cross-section the block-valve which controls the hydraulic circuit of the jacks.

Fig. 8 shows in cross-section and in outline the control knob of the press.

Fig. 9 shows a front view of the said knob.

Fig. 10 is a view in diagrammatic cross-section of the control device for the block-valve.

Fig. 11 shows diagrammatically the upper jack in the position of taking-out and re-insertion of the shape.

Figs. 12 to 17 are diagrams showing the various circuits created by the block-valve which controls the hydraulic circuit. 7

The press constructed in accordance with the invention is constituted by a table 1 of steel (Figs. 1 and 2) carcarry the lateral parts 6 and 6 of the mould on their inner faces. The said parts slide in slide-ways 7 and 7 of the dove-tail type formed on the jaws 5 and 5 so as to enable the individual adjustment of the position of the parts 6 and 6, as between each other and with respect to the other members of the mould. After adjustment, the said parts are locked in position by means of bolts screwed into the jaws.

Two screws 5a and Sa which terminate in knurled knobs screw into the two jaws on either side of the arms 3 and 3 and on each side of the machine in order to limit the travel of the said jaws when the jacks 4 and 4 bring them close to each other. The free extremities of the screws may to this end come into abutment with stop members 5b and 5']; carried by the table 1. Locking nuts 50 and 5's enable the screws 51; and S'a to be This limit of travel is necessary in order to centre the two lateral parts of the mould.

Below the table 1 is fixed a further jack 8, the piston shaft of which is directed vertically and acts on a plate 9 which carries the lower part 10 of the mould. The plate 9 may thus be raised or lowered under the action of the lower jack 8. In its lower position, it is received in a central space 11 formed in the table 1.

At the upper part of the arms 3 and 3' is mounted a jack 12 the piston shaft of which acts on a plate 13 which .receives the'shape or the core 14. The jack 12 can turn about a horizontal axis together with the plate 13 and the shape which it supports. To this end, the body of the jack 12 (see Fig. 3) is mounted on a yoke 15 the central bore of which permits the passage of the lower part of the jack. A flange 16, rigidly fixed to the body of the jack enables the latter to be fixed on the yoke 15 by means of bolts 17.

The yoke 15 is provided at each side with a circular bearing surface 18 which is engaged in a circular groove 19 formed in the vertical arm of a right-angle bracket 29 fixed to the top of each of the arms 3 and 3'. On the yoke 15 is fixed a pivot 21 which passes through a pinion 22 on a tube 23. The tube 23 itself passes through the bracket 20 and receives a nut 24 which holds the pinion 22 in position. A key 25 prevents the pinion from rotating.

The pivot 21 is provided with a central bore 26 and its threaded end enables it to be coupled to a rotary coupling 27 which puts the bore 26 in communication with a piping system 28 belonging to the hydraulic control system of the press. The piping system 28 and all the other pipes which terminate at the jacks 4, 4' and 8 are arranged in the arms 3 and 3 and are thus concealed from view while at the same time they are readily accessible, the said arms being fitted with removable hoods 29 and 29.

The bore 26 of one of the pivots 21 is put in communication, by means of conduits (not shown), with one of the chambers of the cylinder of the jack 12. The other chamber is put in communication with the bore 26 of the pivot 21 located on the other side of the press.

At the lower part of the shaft 30 of the piston 31 of the jack 12 is fitted the plate 13 which is intended to receive, in a suitable slide-way system, the shape 14. The said plate slides under the impulsion of the piston 31 between two slides 32 fixed on each of the arms 3 and 3. A stop member 33 provided with an adjusting screw 34 enables the travel of the plate 13 towards the base to be limited at the position shown in chain-dotted lines in Fig. 3, on each side of the press.

On each of the sides of the plate 13 is mounted a rack 35 (see Fig. l) which is intended to come into engagement with the corresponding fixed pinion 22 when the said plate is moved upwards by the jack and has reached a certain level above the table. It will immediately be seen that when the plate reaches this level and continues to rise under the thrust of the jack 12, the racks 35 engage with the fixed pinion 22 and are forced to rotate around these latter, carrying with them in their rotation the assembly formed by the jack 12, the plate 13 and the shape 14. The said assembly will then take up, at the end of the travel of the jack, the position shown in Fig. 6.

The shape or the core 14 is mounted on the plate 13 by means of fixing members 36 (see Figs. 1 and 3).

The press is completed by an electric heating equipment with thermostatic control for 24 volts which ensures the heating of the mould to effect the vulcanisation,

and by an electric pump set 37 (see Fig. 7) which promediary of an accumulator. supply a number of presses.

The hydraulic circuit of the jacks is controlled by a control block valve 58 disposed in one of the arms of the press. This control block is actuated by means of a knob 39 (see Figs. 1 and 8) located, for example, in the right-hand arm 3' of the press and accessible on the front wall of this arm.

The knob 39 (see Figs. 8 to 10) is mounted on the end of a shaft 40 on which is keyed a pinion 41 engaging with a toothed rack 42. The latter is constantly urged upwards by means of a spring 43 fixed on the arm 3'. At its base, the rack is provided with an elongated slot 44 in which a pivot 45 rigidly fixed to a rod 46 is One electric pump set can adapted to slide. In addition, the rack 42 isextended laterally byafinger 47 arranged so as to be able to come up against the push-rod 48 ofa switch-49 in the bottom position of. the rack.

The switch 49operates inthe circuit of. atime-delay device 50, the function of which will beseen later. The knob 39 is keyed on the shaft 40 by means .of a key-or a grub-screw 51 which slides in aslot: 52.. formed in the shaft. It is .provided on its rear face withastud .53which may engage in either of two blindholes 54:and 55 formed in the wall ofthe arm 3. Theknob 39 may thus be brought at will into two positions in which the stud 52 is free from either of the holes .54or 55, orisengaged in one of the latter. It will be seenthat the knob may take up two positions in which it.is locked. A ball 39a, loaded by a spring 39bvengages intwo blind holes 40a formed in the shaft 40in order to mark the positions of the knob on the shaft inthe longitudinal sense of the latter.

In order to ensure the control of, all the movementsof the four jacks, four positions must be provided for the knob 39. These four positions are shown inFig, 9 and are indicated by the Roman figures:I,. II, III, andIV.

It will be clear that by rotating the knob 39, the pinion 41 is turned at thesametime and this initstllrn moves the rack vertically. The movementsof the rack are. transmitted to the rod 46 which carriesvalves 56 and 57 sliding in a cylinder 58 so as to form a distribution slidevalve inside the, block 38.

The rod 46 is, extended below the valve, 57. to pass through the base of the block 38.. Itis provided at its extremity with a. small iron plate 59 in the alignment of which is arranged. anelectromagnet 60, the energisation of which is controlled by the timing devicefSfl.

The control block valve .318. (see Fig. 7.) comprises-six conduitsleading into the cylinder 58. A central conduit 61'connectedby a piping, system62 to themotor-pump set 37 supplies fluid under pressure. Two conduits. 63 and64, connected toa piping system 65 .p rovidefor'the return of the fluid to the reservoir 66.0f the supply;- installatiom Two conduits 67 and. 6 8.enab le the cylinder 58 to be connected to the rear chamber of each of the jacks 4, 4, 8 and 12. A conduit 69 enables the cylinder 58 to be, connected to the rear chamber-of each of the said jacks by means of a main piping system.70,. to which are coupled the piping systems 71, 72,73 and 74, coming from .thezjacks. l

'llhejconduit. 67 is .shut-oi. by means of a flap-valveor a ball '75 subjected-to;the. pressure of a spring calibrated at kg., for example. The conduit is dividedinto two conduits 76- and--77,- -the-first of -which islconnected through a-piping-sy-stem- 78-tothe rear chamberof the jack 4, and the second through a piping system 79 to the rear chamber of the jack 4, or vice-versa.

The conduit 68 may be put in communication, by the action of a valve or a ball 80 to which is applied the thrust of a spring calibrated at 10 kg., for example, with a further conduit 81 arranged in parallel with the cylinder 58. The conduit 81 is sub-divided into three channels: a conduit 82 coupled through a piping system 83 to the rear chamber of the upper jack 12; a conduit 84 communicating by the action of a ball controlled by a spring calibrated at 20 kg., for example, with a conduit 86; and finally a conduit 87 closed by a ball 88, also subjected to the pressure of a spring calibrated at 20 kg., and which conduit may thus communicate with the conduit 86. The latter is connected through a piping system 89 to the rear chamber of the lower jack 8.

The operation of the whole assembly of the press by the simple control of the knob 39 is as follows:

When the knob 39 is set in such a way that its indicator is opposite the graduation I (see Fig. 9), its stud 53 cannot engage in either of the holes. The said knob is thus placed in its forward position on the shaft 40. The

rack 42is .drawn upwards by. the spring 43 and the rod 46 iszalso retainedin its upper position.

In this positiomthetwo valves 56 and-57 are-located in the cylinder 58 of the block-valve 38, as shown inFig. 7. It willjbeseenin this figure thatif the motor-pump set 37 isoperating, thefluid passes through the supply piping system 62, theconduit 61, the cylinder 58, the conduit 69, the piping system 70 and passes, throughlhe secondary piping systems 71, 72, 73 and74,.to the front chambers of the four jacks. 4, 4', 8 and 12, which are thus maintained in the positionof rest, that is to say their, pistons are at.,the extreme limit of their inward traveL,

In this position, the lateral parts 6 and 6 of the mould are separated from each other, the. plate 13.0f thezupper jack 12 is atits upper position and is directedwith the shape 14, as shown in Fig. 11, to the position at'which the shape is removed, and finally, the plate 9 together with the lower part 10 of the mould -is in'its lower position.

When the knob 39is turned into the position II, and its stud .53is engag ed in the first hole 54 (see Fig. 9.), the rod 46;and'in consequence the valves. 56 and 57. are brought into the positionrshown in Fig. 12.

'Itwill be seen that the fluid, then passes through the piping system,'62; the conduit 61, the cylinder 58, the conduit 68, and then through the two conduits 76, and 77; and through the pipingsystems 78, and ,79, respectively, reaches the rear chambers of, the jacks4? and 4. The fluid causes the closure of the lateral parts 6 and 6. of the mould. The fluid under pressure, in thefront chambers of the jacks flows out through the piping systems 72, 71; 70, the conduit 69, the cylinder 58, the conduit 64 and the piping system 65.

When the lateral parts 6 and 6' are, completely closed on the lower part of the mould, the filling of the cavity thus created is effected.

The leg having been placedonthe shape 14, the knob 39 may then be changed over to its position III, in which it is retained'by the stud 53" in engagement with the hole 55 (see Fig.9). The rod 46 .and thevalvesSfi-and 57 are then brought into the position shownlin-Fig. 13. In this position, the fluid passes through the piping system '62, the conduit 61, the cylinder 58, the, conduit. 68 which supplied thejacks 4 and 4' through the, conduits 76 and 77 as inFig. 12, but the fluid'passes, in addition, through the conduit 67, the conduit 82 and, through the piping system .83, reaches therear chamber of theupper jack-12, the piston ofwhich then begins to move downwards. The compressed fluid in the front chamber passes out throughthe piping system 74, the piping-system 70, the conduit 69, etc.

As it descends, the plate '13 rotates with the shape 14 around fixed pinions 22 and the shape arrives at the vertical working position before the end of the downward movement of the plate. When the plate reaches the abutments 34, it is blocked and the pressure rises in the piping system 83, the conduit 82 and the whole of the hydraulic supply circuit. When the pressure rises to a suflicient value, the ball 88 which has until this moment been held by the force of its spring against its seating, is pushed away and the fluid finds a new passage through the conduit 86 which has previously been shutoff by the said ball. From this conduit 86, the fluid passes to the rear chamber of the lower jack 8 (see Fig. 14) through the piping system 89. The fluid ejected from the front chamber rejoins the piping system 70 through the pipe 73.

The jack 8 then'raises the plate 9 which carries the lower part of the mould and which presses the moulding material against the upper shape.

When the mould is thus completely closed and the material is to be subjected to the vulcanisation process, the knob 39 is set at its position IV, at which it is not manually locked. For this purpose, the knob is pulled towards the front so as to free its stud 53 from the hole 55 and is then. fully turned until the finger 47 of the rack 42(seeFig. l)rpresses against the push-rod 48 of the switch 49. The latter closes the circuit of the timing device 50 which, in its turn, energises the electromagnet 60, thereby attracting the blade 59 located at the end of the rod 46, and holds it in the attracted position.

The elongated slot 44 enables the rack 42 to move upwards by an amount suflicient to remove the contact of its finger 47'with the push-rod 48.

After the period of time required for vulcanisation, the timing device opensthe circuit of the electro-magnet 60 which frees the blade 59 and thus releases the rod 46 and the rack42. The latter moves upwards again to its upper position with the said rod 46 under the action of the spring 43.

The valves 56 and 57 then take up the position shown in Fig. 15. In this position, the fluid can pass through the piping system 62, the conduit 61, the cylinder 58, the conduit 69, thepiping system 70 and, through the piping systems 71 and 72, arrives at the front chambers of the jacks 4 and 4. It also reaches, through the piping systems 73 and 74, the front chambers of the jacks 8 and 12, but the rear chambers of these two jacks are connected to the block valve 38 through the piping systems 89 and 83 which terminate in the conduits 86 and 82, the communication of which with the return piping system is cut-off by the balls 85 and 80, whilst the return path is entirely free for the jacks 4 and 4'.

The jacks 4 and 4 thus open alone, in the first place, the lateral parts 6 and 6. When these parts are fully open, the pressure in the return circuit increases and becomes sufiicient to force back the ball 80, the spring of which is calibrated, for example, to 10 kg. so that it yields before the ball 85, the spring of which is calibrated at kg. The result is that the upper jack 12 is able in its turn to lift the plate 13 with the shape 14, the circuits being established as shown by the arrows in Fig. 16.

Finally, when the piston of the jack 12 has reached the end of its travel, the pressure again rises in the return circuit and the ball 85 is forced back, thus providing a passage for the fluid contained in the rear chamber of the lower jack 8. The plate 9 of this jack then again takes up its position of rest in the opening 11 of the table 1. The pressure in the hydraulic circuit still rises and the motor-pump then delivers into a by-pass circuit 90 established by a pressure-regulating flap-valve (not shown).

It will be clear that the machine in accordance with the invention, as described above in its application to the manufacture of boots or shoes of rubber, may also be'utilised in the manufacture of similar articles of plastic material. The sole may then be moulded by injection, a supplementary jack being provided in order to, effect, the, injection of the plastic material into the sole mould, after the closure of this latter and the application of the shape to it.

What I claim is:

,1. In a hydraulic press for vulcanising foot wear on shapes comprising a mould constituted by two horizontally-movable lateral members and a vertically-movable mould base anda shape adapted to carry the leg of the boot or the like and vertically-movable in the opposite direction to the said mould base, a double-acting hydraulic jack for actuating each of the four components abovementioned, a'single control means for operating the hydraulic circuit of the four jacks, two toothed racks disposed on the moving plate of the jack which carries the said shape, two fixed pinions rigidly attached to the frame of the said press and arranged at a height such that the said racks come into engagement with them when the said shape-carrying movable plate reaches a certain height above the table of the said press, the jack being mounted on a horizontal axis so as to be able to rotate about the said axis when the said racks engage with the said pinions, whereby the said shape is caused to pivottowards the front of the press.

2. In a hydraulic press in accordance with claim 1, a spring tending to force the said toothed rack and the valvecarrying rod upwards in opposition to the said electromagnet so as to cause upward movement of the said rod as soon as the electro-magnet is no longer energised, two toothed racks arranged on the moving plate of the shape-carrying jack, two fixed pinions rigidly attached to the frame of the said press and disposed at a height such that the said racks come into engagement with the said pinions when the said moving plate which carries the shape reaches a certain height above the table of the press, the jack being mounted on a horizontal axis so as to be able to rotate about the said axis when the said racks engage with the said fixed pinions and thereby to cause the said shape to pivot towards the front of the press.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,207,673 Williard Dec. 5, 1916 2,701,389 Capdevila Feb. 8, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,022,992 France Dec. 24, 1952 463,982 Italy June 14, 1951 

